Teachers’ Beliefs and Their Influence on Math Instructions for Gifted English Learners

Yang, Jenny; Özbek, Gülnur; Cho, Seokhee

doi:10.3390/educsci13070728

Teachers’ Beliefs and Their Influence on Math Instructions for Gifted English Learners

Journal Article · Mon Jul 17 00:00:00 EDT 2023 · Education Sciences

DOI:https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13070728· OSTI ID:1991142

; ; Cho, Seokhee

The dynamic interplay between teachers’ beliefs and practices significantly impact the quality of instruction and the trajectory of talent development in young students. This case study explores the beliefs and practices of two elementary teachers instructing gifted ELs in mathematics. The constant comparison method was used to analyze data collected from classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, and field notes. Three factors were found to affect the (in)consistency between teachers’ expressed beliefs and observed practices: compatibility among core and peripheral beliefs, knowledge about evidence-based practices, and classroom management skills. Students exhibit higher levels of participation, communication, and engagement in critical thinking skills when their teacher embraces constructive perspectives in teaching mathematics, demonstrates pedagogical expertise, and employs a proactive classroom management approach. Conversely, students encounter restricted opportunities to independently construct their own understanding of mathematics when their teacher holds maladaptive beliefs about teaching mathematics, has limited knowledge of evidence-based practices, and has an authoritarian classroom management style. These findings underscore the need for a new approach to professional development (PD) that encourages teachers to critically examine the connection between their beliefs and instructional practices and their impact on the student’s mathematical talent development.

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Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

OSTI ID:: 1991142

Journal Information:: Education Sciences, Journal Name: Education Sciences Journal Issue: 7 Vol. 13; ISSN 2227-7102

Publisher:: MDPI AGCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: Switzerland

Language:: English

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